Spring Porch Ideas

It's time to get out your rain boots for springtime showers! This is a decorating idea my mother uses on their porch. It just requires cute boots (adult or child size) and long stemmed faux spring flowers. My mother picked-up her pair at a yard sale a few years ago, but I'll bet you could find some at a thrift store, too. We have found good flowers on sale at both Michaels and Hobby Lobby. A couple of real branches add texture and interest when mixed in with my mother's artificial lilac, dogwood and tulips. This arrangement is protected from the wind by being in the corner, but if it weren't we could have dropped rocks inside the boots for weight and stability. 

Another spring touch is this tulip wreath that my mother hung on their front door this year. If you're interested in making one like it, you can click here to see the directions highlighted in a post a few years ago.  

This stuffed guy is an oldie, but goodie who sometimes hops out on my parents' porch. He is making an appearance this spring. 

Some'bunny' wishes you a blessed weekend! 

Butterscotch Pie

I recently made mini butterscotch pies for my dad's birthday, since that's a favorite flavor of his. I used Keebler mini graham cracker crusts and the following filling:

Butterscotch Pie

2 T butter

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 

1 large egg yolk

1.5 T flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 tsp. salt

 1 1/2 T cornstartch

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan, add brown sugar and combine well. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix together egg yolk, flour, milk, salt and cornstarch. Slowly add this mixture to the hot butter/brown sugar. Stir continuously over medium heat until butterscotch filling  becomes thick. When you remove the pan from the fire, stir in the vanilla. Spoon contents into four or five mini graham cracker pie shells. Refrigerate; garnish with whipped cream. Obviously, you could double the recipe to make one pie, rather than minis.

For a printable version, click here.

If you like butterscotch, I think you will enjoy this recipe.

Sweet dreams! 

Tuesday's Tablescape

Happy Tuesday! Today's tablescape features my faux forsythia. You have seen them in the past as I enjoy using them each spring somewhere around the house!

Good quality artificial stems make a huge difference. I like these because they even have a few random green leaves to create a more realistic look. When you make an arrangement, you can emulate nature by scattering a few blossoms on the table as though they had just fallen from the branch.

My glass bowls were a gift from my cousin a few years ago and they pair nicely with yellows, greens, reds or blues, depending upon your table. 

Real forsythia have not made their appearance yet, so we will enjoy the faux in the meantime. Either way, I always associate them with sunshine. 🌞

Lemon Pancakes

A few weeks ago when a friend and I went to breakfast, we each ordered scrumptious pancakes. Afterward, I began thinking of out-of-the-ordinary hotcakes I could try making at home and that's when the idea of making them lemon popped into my head. I decided that I could make it easy on myself and begin with boxed pancake mix and then just jazz it up a bit! I planned that I would add the juice from a whole lemon and definitely some zest. What about a splash of lemon extract? Sure! I was excited to execute my  concoction and was feeling proud of myself for thinking of it when I happened to be reading some pancake recipes online. Guess what I came across?  I saw directions for lemon pancakes! Even though I had not personally tried them, it turns out that I did not invent this breakfast food afterall! 🤣

Still, I will share my simple directions with you. You can use your favorite pancake recipe or do as I did and get out your favorite boxed pancake mix. Add the juice of a freshly-squeezed lemon along with water until you reach the specified amount of liquid called for in the directions. For me, it was just about 50/50. Add a tablespoon of lemon zest and a few drops of lemon extract. You could add a smidgen of yellow food color, if you desire. I added all of this lemoness along with fresh blueberries and oatmeal (both of which I regularly make). The results were the desired hint of freshness without being overpowering. If lemon is not your thing, perhaps you'd prefer cinnamon pancakes. You can click here for the recipe I use and shared back in '16. If you're up for a citrusy addition to your breakfast, you might try my version of lemon pancakes because they are easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! 🍋

National Crafting Month

Did you know that March is National Crafting Month? I have always enjoyed making things and from the time I was a little girl, it's always been of interest to me. My parents are creative, so I was exposed to artistic projects and household DIYs growing up. Over the years I have dabbled in many forms of crafting and truly find it a way to unwind whether I am working on something by myself or with my crafting friends. It has been a goal of mine to learn to quilt and a friend has been guiding me through the process over the past few years. Today we worked on a wall hanging that's a WIP (work in progress).

This piece all began with the eagle panel in the center. I found it a few summers ago in a little shop while we were vacationing and my friend and I have been working on it, here and there, as we have been able. Even though it is not finished yet, it was a pleasure working on this craft project for a few hours...especially during National Crafting Month!

Happy Spring!

It's finally spring and I have a few vignettes for the season. 

My aunt sent me the little note card below and I liked it so much that I framed it.

Thanks for hopping over to take

 a little peep at my signs of spring in my kitchen. 🐇 🐤

Tuesday's Tablescape

A few weeks ago, we were given this lovely orchid and we are really enjoying its gorgeous, delicate blossoms. Its beauty inspired the tablescape today.

Even though it's a smidgen tall for the centerpiece, it still looks so springy and happy to me.

The orchid is sitting on this quilted table topper, which was a gift from a friend.

My cobalt and yellow dishes plus the cobalt glasses rounded out the table. 

I hope this finds you having a happy day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I-rish you a happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Have a good weekend! ☘

March Winds are the Morning Yawn

We have had our fair share of winds lately and today was another excessively breezy one! We have high hopes that springtime is actually being blown into town, though,  and I think I have found evidence. Look what's poking through the bed of leaves. It's our Lenten rose and it's awakening!

Lenten rose (helleborus) is a perennial with large green leaves which are divided into multi jagged-edged sections. 

I believe there is a variety with white flowers, but ours is dusty-mauve.

I find this incredible plant intriguing because it always awakens and blooms during Lent...no matter when Easter falls on the calendar. Since Ash Wednesday was last week, I realized it was time to check on this beauty's status and it made me smile when I found that it was right on schedule. It also makes me happy to know that spring is finally awakening after what has seemed like such a long winter. 

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.

                                      Louis Grizzard

DIY Artwork

Since I needed a springtime piece of artwork, I decided to create my own. After reviewing my camera roll, I found a shot I had taken last spring of our crab tree when it was erupting in full bloom. 

Using a coupon for Walgreen's photo department and a poster frame I already had, I was able to put together an 18 by 24 inch seasonal print.

I'm sorry that I can't avoid the glare on the glass. 

When I used prints for DIY artwork in the past, it was always on a smaller scale. I wasn't sure how enlarging it to such a degree would affect the end-result, but I am satisfied with it and I would definitely do it again.

Blessings to you!

Tuesday's Tablescape

Are you getting ready for St. Patrick's Day this weekend? 

I used my emerald green tablecloth and topped it with my mother's buffalo check cloth. By the way, her linen is from my childhood days when we lived in Speedway, IN. It was used on the table each Memorial Day in celebration of the Indianapolis 500 since it resembles the checked flag used at the racetrack.

My shamrock plant and a wooden decoration that my dad made years ago created the centerpiece. Some metallic table scatter added a bit of sparkle! 

Now we just need the corned beef dinner and we will be all ready! ☘

Kids Against Hunger

We had the pleasure of participating in our church's annual Kids Against Hunger pack-a-thon Saturday morning. I don't mean to repeat myself and those of you who have followed the blog for any length of time have been subjected to this topic three previous years. It's such a worthy project, though, that I feel it warrants another post. If you have personally participated in such an event, you understand my feelings. If you have not had the opportunity to assist in packing meals, perhaps you will have the chance at some point in the future. Check out the Kids Against Hunger website  https://www.kidsagainsthunger.org/ for more information. 

These pictures show the workspace which was prepared for us.

Each bag of food contains vitamins and minerals, dried vegetables, soy and rice and produces a nutritious, hot casserole. You may click here to revisit previous posts containing information about Kids Against Hunger. 

I hope you have had a good day. 

Show and Tell

Remember when you were little and had "show and tell" on Fridays? Let's pretend we are in the same class so I can show you what I made today.

It's time for the annual Home and Garden Show in St. Louis so my husband and I snuck away for a few hours to explore and stroll around. We enjoyed seeing home project/improvement contractors, vendors and experts, actual garden, pool and landscape layouts, Amish furniture, seminars and so much more. One of my favorites is the booth from our local floral company, Walter Knoll Florists. A pillar of the community since the late 1800s, this family-owned operation is now being run by their 5th and 6th generations. Each year at the Home Show, they offer floral arranging classes and I always sign-up for the fun! They teach you exactly how to replicate their featured arrangement and provide everything you will need...all for $10! We began with a basket constructed from real bark.

I did not make the bow; it was provided.

It was a very enjoyable show and tell project. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

So Long, Winter Mantel

I took care of the cardinal, greenery and snowflakes from our mantel. 

 

It seems a tad early for all Easter, so I felt faux narcissus and a little bird would provide a few springtime touches. I find that welcoming!

How about you? Are you ready for spring, too? 

Tuesday's Tablescape

These pictures are actually from the Fat Tuesday tablescape I set two years ago.  Rather than providing a link to that previous post, I'm basically repeating it. 😉 Today, Fat Tuesday,  is the day that people may consume their fill of sweets prior to the beginning of Lent. It always falls the day before Ash Wednesday and is 46 days before Easter.

I used the royal colors of Mardi Gras for my centerpiece. Purple represents justice, green stands for faith and yellow-gold means power. People often wear boas, beads and masks when celebrating. Mine came from the dollar store and I picked-up the King Cake at the grocery store bakery. 

King Cakes are slightly sweetened yeast treats which are usually flavored with cinnamon. Sometimes they are filled with custard or jelly. The top is decorated with purple, green and gold sugar.

Since Epiphany (which marks the beginning of the Mardi Gras season) represent the day the three wise men saw Baby Jesus, a plastic baby figure is often hidden inside the cake. The person who finds it is tagged to provide the cake the following year. As I recall, this particular cake was plain and not custard or jelly-filled.

Are you having King Cake or 

any sweet treats today?